Walking Into A Storm

Romance sucks

Luke sat on the couch next to his friends, watching the horrible movie they had all decided to watch. Luke seriously hated romance films, but there was three women (and one majorly whipped man, that always sided with his fiance) that had wanted it. Luke sighed, for the what seemed like the twentieth, and he rolled his eyes. "God, romance is so boring, and it's all the freaking same. Two people look at each other, and they instantly fall in love no matter what. It's soooo annoying," Luke said.

"Why if it's so annoying, do you have so many of them?" His friend Dixie asked.

"I only have them, cause you all want them. I never did understand romance movies," he replied.

"Just because you can't find love, doesn't mean you need to hate on it," Beka pitched in.

"Oh leave off him guys," Jennifer snapped. "You don't need to bring his love life into anything, and sometimes I have to agree with him on romance films." Luke flashed her a quick smile. Jennifer was the first friend he ever made, and she was the best one he'd ever hope to find. Not only did she stick up for him all the time, she even was the only one that knew his biggest secret.

"It doesn't matter if I had them or not," Luke whined. "These movies are way overrated, and are the same all the time. I mean always two people meet, and they fall instantly in love with each other. Then trouble ensues, and against all odds the people end up together. Actual relationships don't work that way!"

"It kinda worked that way with me and Jennifer," Pete said as he wrapped his arm around his fiance.

Luke sighed as he glanced over at the two. They really did seem to make the most perfect couple, and Pete wasn't lying about their love life being like a romance even. Pete had met Jennifer in his senior year of school, but the two of them were in completely different social groups. They rarely saw each other, and almost everyone was helping to try to drive them apart. Finally, at high school graduation, Pete (while he was giving his valedictorian speech) declared his love for Jennifer, and the two had been inseparable ever since. "Ok, not every relationship is like a romance film. Many people never even end up with someone. Romance freaking sucks," Luke said.

"I still think if you found the right person, you wouldn't be dissing romance so much," Dixie said.

"I'm just destined to be one of those lonely people," Luke whined.

"No, you just need to be the one to make your life a romance story. You can't just sit around at your job, or walk around your house waiting for your perfect woman to find you," Jennifer said.

Luke felt as if Jennifer was trying hard to resist the urge to use air quotes, when she said woman. "I'm not expecting a woman to come to my door, I'm just wanting it to be easier to find someone. No one I ever date even wants to stick around long," Luke whined.

"Oh, I got a great idea! We all could find someone to set you up with!" Dixie squealed happily.

"Oh, I don't think that would be a...," Luke started to say, but was cut off by Beka yelling, "OH MY GOD, YES! I have so many friends I could set you up with."

Luke looked to Jennifer for help, but she just smiled and said, "this could be fun. We can all find someone to set you up with and see who finds the best match."

Luke groaned. His best friend was a traitor to him, and he was almost certain he knew why she was doing this too. "I still don't think I need you all setting me up with anyone," Luke said.

"Oh come on. It wouldn't hurt to try going out with someone we set you up with, and maybe then you can find someone to be with for more than a day," Beka whined.

Luke sighed and ran a hand through his dirty blond hair. "You're not going to let me say no, are you guys?" He asked.

The three girls shook their heads no in unison, and Pete chimed in with, "I wouldn't mind seeing you up with someone myself either."

"Fine, I guess you each can set me up with one person a piece," Luke whined.

"WHAT! No, I have like so many women lined up in my head already. You have to give us ten women a piece, tops!" Beka exclaimed.

"No. The most I'll do is five, and you're lucky I'm even entertaining this catastrophic idea."

Beka rolled her eyes. "Fine, I guess I can narrow it down to five. You're going to be disappointed though that you won't get the full extent of my awesome matchmaking skills."

"I'm sure I'll survive," Luke said.

They finished the movie, and stayed there just talking for several hours. Beka and Dixie were trying to make sure they knew everything he liked in a potential date. Jennifer was the only one not asking questions, but that seemed more unnerving to him, as she kept staring at him as he answered. He could almost feel her brown eyes drilling through him. Jennifer had been almost like a sister to him since they were babies (their parents were close friends and so they spent much of their childhood together), and she knew basically everything about him. Luke looked away from Jennifer then. He couldn't stand her look anymore. She had to know why he was lying like this, why couldn't she stop judging him.

Finally it was time for everyone to say goodbye, and Luke gave his friends (except for Pete) a quick hug as they walked out. Jennifer was the last to walk out. "You know this is going to be a travesty," she said as she hugged him.

"I know," he replied with a sigh.

"Then why are you doing it?" Luke just shrugged. "Oh great, I knew you would have a good reason." She said rolling her eyes.

"I'll see you later, Jen."

"Yeah, yeah. We still on for dinner tomorrow?" When Luke nodded, Jennifer turned around to head to the car, but then she stopped and looked back. "You know I can always talk to my uncle. He always did like you, and I'm sure he'll forgive you for ignoring him."

"Oh yeah, just ask the guy I ghosted for ten years to date me again. You remember how much of a disaster that was. Do you really think that I would want to do that again, or that he would even forgive me for ignoring him this long?" Luke asked.

"It wasn't all that bad," Jennifer started.

"It was terrible! My parents fucking found out that I was around your uncle, and they forced me to stop going over to your house, just because he was a "bad influence". I still don't even know how I'm going to apologize to him, for not talking to him in ten years even, let alone actually date him again. Plus I thought he was with someone already. What happened to, uh Casper?"

"Jasper, and he turned out to be a,  well let's just say it was a bad breakup between them. It was so bad that dad gave him one of the houses he owns to live in. He's even got a job in town now."

"Oh great. I'm living even closer to the biggest mistake of my life," Luke sighed.

"Hey, watch what you're saying about my uncle," Jennifer snapped.

"No, I wasn't trying, I mean I wasn't talking about your uncle in a bad way. It's just it was a mistake to ignore him, but I was young and didn't know what else to do. I just want to forget about the whole thing though, and never see or speak to him again."

Jennifer sighed and finally walked to the car, where Pete was patiently waiting for her. She was going to have to be sneaky about this. She was sure she could get Jason to go along with it, but she was going to have to surprise Luke otherwise he'd find a reason not to meet up with him.